Lubricator



2 sheets sheet (No Model.)

' F. E. SMALL,

LUBRIGATOR.

Patented Dec. 18, 1894.

a BY

. WITNESSES: v 1

ATTEI UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FREDERICK EsMALL, OF BosToN, MASSACHUSETTS.

LUBRICATO R.

SPECIFICATION forming part of I Letters Patent No. 531,225, dated December 18,

Application filed March 26, 1894. Serial No. 505,188. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, FREDERICK E. SMALL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful t(gil-Oup, of which the following is a specifica- My invention relates to oil cups or lubricators of the gravity sight feed class which may be used in the oiling of engine and machinery bearings and other frictional surfaces.

The object of my invention is to produce an oil-cup so constructed that the following advantageous results may be obtained: The oil reservoir can be readily filled. The feed or flow of the oil can be conveniently regulated, and set by'means of the knurled oil feed adjusting screw. The spindle operating shaft is provided with a handle which when upright indicates that the oil-cup is performing its duty in delivering in a regular manner a 4 certain amount of oil. The handle if turned to the left one quarter of a turn indicates that the delivery of the oil is shut off,.and the handle if turned to the right one quarter of a turn, from its upright position, indicates that the oil is being delivered very freely. At any time, by simply turning the handle into its' upright position the feed regulation of the oil is immediately resumed without manipulating the oil feed regulating screw. The spindle case can be readily fastened in any desiredhorizontal position in order. that the handle, whichserves as an indicator, will be in such a position that it may be readily seen. Figure 1 represents the oil-cup in elevation, the handle of thespindle' operating shaft be: ing in its upright position. Fig. 2 represents the oil-cup in vertical section, the oil feed being shutoff. Fig. 3. showsthe oil-cup in vertical section, the handle being in its upright position indicating the delivery in a regular manner of a certain determined amount of oil. Fig. 4 shows the oil-cup in Vertical section, the handle being in a position that indicates that the oil is being delivered in a free manner. Fig. 5 is a full plan view of Fig. 2. Fig. 6 is a plan of the oil cup, the spindle case and oil hole slide being removed. Fig.7 represents the oil hole slide in side elevation, and Fig. 8 is a plan of Fig. 7. Fig. 9 represents the oil tube stud in elevation. Fig. 10

represents the spindle in elevation, and-Fig. 11 is a plan of Fig. 10. Fig. 12 is a sectional view of the spindle head on line A. B. of Fig.

11. Fig. 13 represents the spindle operating shaft and handle in elevation, and Fig. 14 is a sectional view of Fig. 13 on line 0. D.

The oil-cup is provided with the base 20, of ordinary construction, the small cylindrical glass 21, and the threaded end 22. It is also provided with the usual glass cylinder 23 and the cork washers 24 and 25.

The oil tube stud 26 is provided with the threaded lower end 27, by means of which the stud is screwed into the base; the nozzle 28, which has at its upper end the valve seat 29, adapted to receive the valve end of the spindle; the oil holes 30, through which the oil in the oil reservoir may flow into the oil tube stud; the threaded upper portion 31, designed to receive the oil reservoir cap 32; and the circular groove 33 adapted to receive the point of the spindle case and screw. The oil reservoir cap is provided with an annular raised lip or flange to prevent the wasteful and unsightly overflow of oil over the sides of the oil cup. V

The spindle case 34 is provided with the recess 35, designed to receive the oil hole slide spiral spring 36; the recess 37, by means of which and the set screw 38, the spindle case is secured to the oil tube stud in any desired horizontal position, the upper portion of this recess 37 being provided with the circular flange 39 againstwhich the upper end of the spindle spiral spring 40 is in contact; the socket recess 41, adapted to receive the spindle head 42 and the oil feed adjusting screw 43; and the bearings 44 and 45, designed to receive the spindle operating shaft 46.

The spindle head 42 is provided with the hole 47, of agreater diameter than the spindle operating shaft 46; the oblong hole 48, adapted to receive the reduced portion of the spindle operating shaft; the lower thread 49 into which the spindle 50 is screwed and thev oil feed adjusting screw may be prevented from turning too easily.

The spindleat its lower end is provided with the valve portion 52 which is designed to seat upon the valve seat 29, and the spiral spring &0, which is held under tension, for valve seating purposes, between the circular flange 39 and the washer 53 which is pinned to the spindle.

The spindle operating shaft 46 is provided with the three holes 54, 55, and 56 of different depths; the shaft retaining screw 57, and the handle 58.

The knurled top oil feed adjusting screw 43 is provided with the screw 59 the point of which is adapted to fit into the holes of different depths in the spindle operating shaft.

The oil hole slide 60, which fits around the oil tube stud and is held in contact with the top of the oil reservoir cap by means of the spiral spring 36, is provided with the downwardly projecting lip 61 which in its operation fits into any one of the three small recesses 62, 63 and 64 in the top of the oil reservoir cap, and it is also provided with the upwardly projecting lip 65 which is made for the purpose of permitting the easy manipulating of the slide in the uncovering and covering of the oil hole 66 through the oil reservoir cap.

The parts composing the oil cup are assembled as shown.

The operation of the oil cup is as follows; The oil cup being set closed as shown in Fig. 2, the oil hole slide is pushed either side of the oil hole, the oil reservoir is filled with oil and the oil hole slide is then closed. It will be observed that the spindle valve is seated by the weight of the spindle head and also by the spring tension of the spiral spring 40 which always exerts a pressure downward, tending to close the valve. It is designed that the hole 56 in the spindle operating shaft shall be of a depth sufiieient to permit the screwing down of the oil feed adjusting screw until it strikes the spindle head without the point of the oil feed adjusting screw coming in contact with the spindle operating shaft. This construction insures the effective closing of the valve whenever desired.

Fig. 3 represents the oil cup, with the handle of the spindle operating shaft in its upright position indicating that the oil is being delivered in a regular manner. The hole 55, which is not as deep as hole 56, by the turning of the spindle operating shaft, slightly lifts the valve from off its seat. The distance between the valve and its seat can be easily increased or diminished by turning the feed adjusting screw. By turning the feed adjusting screw down or in, the quantity of oil delivered in a given time will be increased, and by turning the feed adjusting screw out, the quantity of oil delivered in a given time will be diminished. By turning the spindle operating shaft to the right one quarter of a turn, the flow of the oil will be greatly increased, as represented in Fig. 4, for the reason that the hole 54 is not as deep as hole 55 and therefore the valve is opened considerably wider than as shown in Fig. The turning of the handle of the spindle operating shaft, one quarter of a turn, either to the left or right from its upright position, which results, respectively, in the stopping of the delivery of the oil, and in very free delivery of the oil, does not in any way aifect the set feed oil adjustment. This is an essential feature of my invention.

The point of the oil feed adjusting screw holdsthe spindle operating shaft in each of its three positions, byreason of the spring power exerted, to force the spindle valve upon its seat, by the spiral spring on the spindle. Therefore the handle of the spindle operating shaft will always serve as a true indicator and its position will not be changed except at the will of the operator.

I prefer that the center radial lines of the holes in the spindle operating shaft should be (as shown) ninety degrees apart; but it is not essential that they should be just that nuur ber of degrees apart.

In some styles of oil cups the oil tube stud is not used as a means of securing the oil reservoir cap to the base as shown. In the oil cups where the cap is secured to the base in a different manner than shown in the drawings, that part of the oil tube between the cap and base may he sometimes dispensed with.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In an oil cup, the combination of an oil tube stud having a circumferential groove therein, a spindle head, a spindle, a spindle case provided with a set screw adapted to fasten the spindle case to the oil tube stud, a spindle operating shaft passing through said spindle head, and an indicating handle on said shaft, substantially as described.

2. In an oil cup, the combination of an oil tube stud, a spindle head provided with a spindle, an oil feed adjusting screw, a spindle case, a spindle operating shaft passing transversely through said spindle head, and provided with a recess adapted to engage said oil feed adjusting screw, substantially as described.

3. An oil cup provided with a spindle case, a spindle head provided with a spindle, an oil feed adjusting screw, and a spindle operating shaft provided with recesses for engaging the point of the feed adjusting screw, substantially as described.

4. In an oil cup,the combination ofa spindle head, aspindle, aspindle case an oil feed adjusting screw, and a spindle operating shaft provided with recesses of different depths adapted to engage the point of said oil feed adj ustiug screw, substantially as described.

5. An oil cup provided with a spindle case, a spindle head, a spindle having a valve attached thereto, an oil feed adjusting screw, and a spindle operating shaft extending transversely through said'head and provided engage the point of the oil feed adjusting with means for regulating the How of the oil screw, substantially as described.

from the cup, substantially as described. In testimony whereof I have signed my 6. In an oil cup, the combination of an oil name to this specification in the preseure of 5 receptacle, a spindle having a valve attached two subscribing witnesses.

thereto, a spindle head, an oil feed'adjusting screw, a spindle operating shaft having one Q FREDERICK SMALL end thereof reduced, a screw for engaging Witnesses: said reduced end,an indicating handle in the E. FRANK WOODBURY,

to opposite end thereof, and means adapted to JAMES H BUFFUM. 

